Dr Paul Allen

Norwegian Nobel Committee (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Swedish industrialist, Alfred Nobel , rocketed to fame and fortune by inventing dynamite. He envisioned its use as a boon for mining and construction, not as a gruesome weapon of war. Nevertheless, it was his military clientele that made him incredibly rich, a serendipity which he serenely accepted. But in 1888 Alfred Nobel had an experience that would change his life. Thumbing through a French newspaper he came across his own obituary. It was the day after his brother had died, and the journalist had evidently been a sloppy fact-checker. The obituary declared: ‘Le marchand de la mort est mort’ (The merchant of death is dead). It went on to state coldly: ‘Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.’ You can imagine the mix of emotion Nobel must have felt—distress that the world viewed him this way, but relief that he was still alive to change how his real obituar...

“Hear, O Israel : The LORD our God is one LORD.” ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ) This great verse has been recited countless times by Israelites down through the centuries, setting forth their distinctive belief in one great Creator God. The Jews had retained their original belief in creation, handed down from Noah, while the other nations had all allowed their original monotheistic creationism to degenerate into a wide variety of religions, all basically equivalent to the polytheistic evolutionism of the early Sumerians at Babel. But along with its strong assertion of monotheism, there is also a very real suggestion that this declaration, with its thrice-named subject, is also setting forth the triune God. The name “LORD,” of course, is Yahweh, or Jehovah , the self-existing One who reveals Himself, while “God” is Elohim , the powerful Creator/Ruler. “Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah” is the proclamation. A number of respected Jewish commentators have acknowledged that the verse spoke of ...

Dome of the Rock (Skalní dóm) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Will a third temple be built? This is a possibility, although at present it is impossible to imagine how this could happen, given the political and religious situation in Jerusalem in particular and in the world at large. Orthodox Jews who want to build a third temple would be able to do so only if they could get the Israeli government to occupy the temple mount and either tear down the Dome of the Rock and build the third temple at the spot some believe was the location of Solomon’s temple , or build the temple between the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (as others suggest for the location of Solomon’s temple). This scenario is not feasible politically, as the violent reaction of the Muslim world can only be imagined,18 and as none of the (mostly secular) Israeli governments have any motivation to build a Jewish temple and renew the sacrificial cult. Given the significance of Jesus as described in the New Testa...

The Jordan River (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “But [do not] . . . enter Gilgal . . . For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity.” ( Amos 5:5 ) Gilgal was the place of new beginnings. Twelve memorial stones from the Jordan were set up at Gilgal after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River ( Joshua 4:3 ). The nation was circumcised there in preparation for their possession of the Land ( Joshua 5:5 ). The Passover was celebrated ( Joshua 5:10 ), and the miraculous manna ceased ( Joshua 5:12 ). The victorious campaign in the hill country of Judea extending to Kadesh-barnea and Gaza was conducted from Gilgal ( Joshua 10:15 ). The great battle at the waters of Merom was conducted from Gilgal ( Joshua 10:43 , 11:5). Saul was crowned Israel ’s first king at Gilgal ( 1 Samuel 11:15 ). Yet, the activity at Gilgal began to obscure the Word of God. Saul compromised and sacrificed at Gilgal to try to gain God’s blessing. His desire for political favor resulted in direct disobedience t...

English: Jerusalem - Tomb of Zechariah, Cities in Israel עברית: קבר זכריה בעמק קדרון , Original Image Name:ירושלים - קבר זכריה, Location:ירושלים (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem , to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.” ( Zechariah 2:1-2 ) Seeing a human in the vision is a departure from the earlier visions of Zechariah . Each of the prior three visions included only angelic beings interacting with the Lord of hosts. Suddenly a man emerges holding a measuring rod attempting to measure Jerusalem. Immediately, a second angel is sent to the angel who has been explaining the visions to Zechariah, instructing him to “run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein” ( Zechariah 2:4 ). Obviously, whatever tim...